The Pinchers and the Curse of the Egyptian Cat
In this slapstick, illustrated crime adventure, the honest Theo Pincher, who doesn’t fit in to his family of criminals, finds himself suddenly on the other side of the law because of an ancient curse.
"Theo and Ellen accidentally break an ancient cat statue in the antique store. When they tell their mother Nic, she turns pale. It must have been the statue that ruined the life of their ancestor Pick Pincher!
The curse of the Egyptian cat turns thieves into honest people and honest people into thieves. Pick met a terrible fate for a Pincher—he became a police officer. Now suddenly Ellen can’t lie and Theo is becoming a criminal.
Theo and Ellen follow the clues to break the curse—after sneaking into the zoo through secret tunnels, breaking into the antique store and digging his way into more trouble, Theo must decide whether he is or isn’t a criminal.
Creators
Anders Sparring writes children's books and is a screenwriter for many popular television shows. He is also a stand-up comedian. He lives in Sweden.
Per Gustavsson is an illustrator and author living in Stockholm, Sweden. His bestselling books are translated to several languages.
Reviews
Another lively, funny jaunt with this unforgettable family.
Kirkus Reviews
The story is funny, intriguing, and guaranteed to keep readers on the edge of their seats as Theo and his sister set out to escape the curse, untangling clues, encountering cute monkeys and a mean zookeeper in the process before reaching a reasonably happy ending.It’s a cops and robbers escapade for today, witty, fast moving and great fun especially for readers exploring first chapter books. I particularly enjoy the way the Pinchers accept their inexplicably honest family member.
LoveReading4Kids
This book is perfect for readers in the lower to middle grades. It has many color illustrations to help readers visualize the Pinchers in their “prison-stripe” shirts and black robber masks. The plot is fast-paced and the short chapters don’t require much stamina. Emerging readers will enjoy feelings of success as they complete chapters while more-able readers can probably finish the book in one sitting.
Mark Buxton
